Molecular sieves are a commercially important class of crystalline materials. They have distinct crystal structures with ordered pore structures which are demonstrated by distinct X-ray diffraction patterns. The crystal structure defines cavities and pores which are characteristic of the different species.
Molecular sieves identified by the International Zeolite Associate (IZA) as having the structure code CHA are known. For example, the molecular sieve known as SSZ-13 is a known crystalline CHA material. It is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,538, issued Oct. 1, 1985 to Zones. In this patent, the SSZ-13 molecular sieve is prepared in the presence of a N-alkyl-3-quinuclidinol cation, a N,N,N-trialkyl-1-adamantammonium cation and/or, and N,N,N-trialkyl-2-exoaminonorbornane cation as the SDA.
U.S. Publication No. 2007-0286798 to Cao et al., published Dec. 13, 2007, discloses the preparation of CHA-type molecular sieves using various SDAs, including a N,N,N-trimethyl-2-adamantammonium cation.
However, these SDAs are complex and costly, which makes the synthesis of CHA-type molecular sieves using these SDAs complex and costly. This cost can limit the usefulness of CHA-type molecular sieves in commercial processes. Thus, it would be desirable to find a way to reduce or eliminate the use of these costly SDAs in the synthesis of CHA-type molecular sieves.
It has now been found that CHA-type molecular sieves can be prepared using cationic 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane-based structure directing agents as a partial substitute for these complex and costly SDAs.